The 2008 Byron Nelson Championship
This is going to be a difficult preview to write as the D.A. Weibring Group has completely redesigned the entire golf course. They changed the tees, greens, and bunkers on every hole. They have insured that they have respected the legacy of Byron Nelson. The tournament that bears his name will remain a great event for years to come. The Byron Nelson Championship began back in 1926 as the Dallas Open. It was won by MacDonald Smith. It was a one hit wonder event as it was not played again until 1944 as the Texas Victory Open. That event was won by the current event’s namesake, Byron Nelson. The tournament finally became a regular event from 1957-1967 as the Dallas Open Invitational. Although I am not sure how you have an Open Invitational. An Open means anyone can qualify, and an Invitational is well…by invitation. In 1968 the tournament was named after the Texas legend Byron Nelson, and it is great that we have his name still involved with today’s event. Up until his passing in 2006 Mr. Nelson would always watch his tournament from behind the 18th green. It was always so special to see every tour player complete his round and then go and shake Mr. Nelson’s hand. You just knew that was such an important moment for each of today’s tour players. 
Last year Texas resident Scott Verplank won with a score of -13, beating Luke Donald by a shot. Often you would give the defending champ a decent shot at winning, but since the course has changed so much it really is anyone’s tournament. It should be a pretty unique weekend as the players will be a lot like us when we are playing a course for the first time. They will have to make good use of their yardage books, and figure the course out as they go. It should be fun to watch. I hope you enjoy the 2008 EDS Byron Nelson Championship. Please remember to check back before the start of the third round for the lessons featuring the tournament leaders. Return to the Home Page from the Byron Nelson Championship Copyright 2006-2012 Free-Golf-Lessons.com
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PGA Tour Winner Quick Lesson
Congratulations to Steve Stricker on his victory at the 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
I believe the commentators said he has won 9 times in his 40s. That is amazing!I also agree with Sir Nick and Johnny Miller that his swing will be copied in the future. Technology has reduced the need for hand action in the golf swing to generate power. Watch the old videos of Bobby Jones to see how much action he created compared to that of Steve Stricker.
A great objective for any player is to eliminate any unnecessary movement. Stricker does a great job of that. His hands stay very quiet on the backswing. His wrists hardly hinge at the top of his backswing. You can see from the above video that his backswing is all shoulder turn.
His downswing starts from the hips and he simply turns everything through the golf ball at the same time. His hands and wrists release naturally without any effort. This is a great way to have a consistent rhythm through the golf ball on every shot. This swing delivers enough power to win on Tour.
European Tour Winner Quick Lesson
Congratulations to Louis Oosthuizen and his victory at the 2012 Africa Open.
Louis burst onto the scene with his dominating performance at the Open Championship. Many have predicted multiple wins for this player. His victory this past weekend is likely one of many to come.
In the video above pay really close attention to when the video ends. Take a look at his left foot. Notice how all his weight his on his left heel. This is a great sign that he has cleared his hips properly.
One of the key reasons for starting the downswing with your lower body is to clear your hips out of the way to create more room for your arms to swing through impact. It is a great indicator as to how well you cleared your hips, when almost all your weight is on your heel.
If your weight is leaning on you toes or even the middle of your foot then you have not rotated and cleared your hips enough through your downswing and past impact. You really want to feel the pressure of your weight on your heel like Oosthuizen.
Make sure you start your downswing with your lower body. At the top of your backswing; either pull your left knee or your left hip (right handed player) towards the target. Also make sure your hips keep rotating through impact and into your finish position with your weight on the heel.